Community-led Housing Research: privacy notice
The following is to explain your rights and give you the information you are entitled to under UK data protection legislation.
The identity and contact details of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and our Data Protection Officer
MHCLG is the data controller. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at dataprotection@communities.gov.uk
What personal data we are collecting and why
Your personal data is being collected for the Community-Led research:
- Contact details: Names, email addresses, and potentially phone numbers; job title and the organisation the participant represents.
This data is being collected to improve the department’s understanding of the barriers and enablers to the growth of Community-Led Housing (CLH). This includes gathering insights from stakeholders through workshops, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and potentially expert roundtables.
This privacy notice applies to the Community-Led Housing research as a whole, which includes surveys, interviews, workshops, and focus groups. If you are completing the survey, please note that participation in interviews is separate and optional. Interview participants will receive a dedicated privacy notice at the time of the interview, which explains how their data will be handled for that activity.
The data will help:
- Explore stakeholder experiences in setting up and financing CLH projects.
- Identify challenges and opportunities for sustainable financial mechanisms.
- Inform detailed policy design and recommendations.
- Develop theories of change and evaluation frameworks for future policy rollout.
The research findings will support the development of policy interventions that enable the growth of the CLH sector in England.
Lawful basis for processing the data
Article 6(1)(e) states:
“Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.”
This research is carried out under MHCLG’s public task function, which is based on common law powers to conduct research and develop policy. There is no specific statutory provision for this activity, so the legal basis derives from these common law powers.
With whom we will be sharing the data
De-identified data collected during the research will be used by MHCLG to inform future Community-Led Housing policy development.
Verian, in partnership with the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University, is contracted to undertake this work and will act as data processors.
At the end of the survey, the interviewer will ask you whether you would like to be contacted again for follow-up research by MHCLG. If you agree to be contacted for this purpose, then you will be asked to provide your name and an email address.
For how long we will keep the personal data, or criteria used to determine the retention period.
Verian (MHCLG’s data processor) will keep your personal data and store them securely until contract ends (anticipated to be April 2026). If their contract is extended the storage time will be extended in line with this. All de-identified data processed for this evaluation will be destroyed by Verian within 12 months after the end of the contract. Although data will be de-identified for analysis, it will still be treated as personal data until it is fully anonymised and cannot be re-identified. MHCLG and its processors will apply appropriate safeguards during retention and deletion. All personal data will be destroyed within 3 months after the end of the contract.
Where participants have agreed to be recontacted by MHCLG, their personal data will be retained by MHCLG for a period of three years. Where participants agree to be recontacted, MHCLG will retain their contact details for up to three years. During this period, MHCLG may periodically verify the accuracy of these details (for example, by confirming continued consent and updating contact information if provided). If details cannot be verified or consent is withdrawn, the data will be securely deleted.
Your rights, e.g. access, rectification, erasure
The personal data being collected gives participants certain rights regarding its use. These rights include:
- The right to be informed that their personal data is being processed
- The right to access the data held about them
- The right to request corrections to their data and to understand how its accuracy is verified
- The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
In specific circumstances, participants may also have the right to:
- Withdraw consent for the processing of their data
- Request the deletion of all data held about them
- Object to particular types of data processing
We will tell you when these rights apply.
Where consent is provided for optional elements (such as agreeing to future research contact), this will be collected by Verian as part of the survey and then securely transferred to MHCLG. MHCLG will record this consent in a secure consent register. You can withdraw this optional consent at any time by contacting dataprotection@communities.gov.uk. Withdrawal of optional consent will not affect your participation in the main research activities.
Sending data overseas
Participants’ personal data will not be transferred outside the EU. All data will be securely stored within the UK or EU by MHCLG and its appointed processors.
Automated decision making
Participants’ personal data will not be used for any form of automated decision-making.
Storage, security and data management
Secure Transfer and Storage: All personal data will be securely transferred, stored, and managed in accordance with MHCLG’s Data Processing Agreement with Verian.
Data Processor Responsibilities: Verian, acting on behalf of MHCLG, is responsible for the secure management of the data. All Verian staff handling personal data are DBS-checked and operate under strict cybersecurity protocols approved by MHCLG’s cybersecurity team.
Retention and Deletion: MHCLG will retain personal data until the end of the contract (currently April 2026), after which it will be securely deleted. Personal data will be deleted once it is no longer required. Where appropriate, de-identified data (e.g., survey results without personal identifiers) may be retained for longer to support future policy development.
Legal Compliance: MHCLG will process data only within the limits of UK data protection laws, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Regular reviews will be conducted to ensure data is not held longer than necessary. This research is being carried out by Verian and CRESR on behalf of MHCLG, with Verian acting as the data processor for this project.
Complaints and more information
When we ask you for information, we will keep to the law, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation.
If you are unhappy with the way the Department has acted, you can make a complaint.
If you want to make a Subject Access Request, another request in relation to your rights, or If you are not happy with how we are using your personal data, you should first contact dataprotection@communities.gov.uk
If you are still not happy, or for independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing, you can contact:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745
https://ico.org.uk/